Vacuous electrical apparatus



Patented Apr. 1, 1924.

GREENLEAF WHITTIER PICKARD,

OF NEWTON CENTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO WIRELESS SPECIALTY APPARATUS COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A.

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VACUOUS ELECTRICAL APPARATUS.

Application filed February 28, 1919. Serial No. 279,912.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, GREENLEAF \Vnrr- TIER Ploluun, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Newton Gen-j ter, county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuous Electrical Apparatus, the principles of which are set forth in the following specification and accom anying drawing, which disclose the form 0- invention which I now consider to be the best of the various forms in which the principles of the invention may be elubodied.

This invention relates to vacuous electrical apparatus and consists of improved means for preservin the desired vaouous condition thereof wit rout dependence upon a continuously operating vacuum pump.

The particular class of vacuous electrical apparatus to which the invention relates, includes those devices wherein a plurality (two or more) of electrodes are separated from each other in a more or less vacuous space enclosed by a casing, the electrodes being connected to electrically conducting lcads which extend out thru the wall of the casing. Such devices have been variously termed audions, mercury arcs (wherein during operation the enclosed s ace contains mercury vapor,) kenotrons, thermionic devices, etc., and the like. The inventionmay be embodied usefully with any of such devices irres ective of the number or separated electro es and of the degree of vacuum of pressure 1n the casln Generally heretofore the casings for said class of devices have been made of glass which is a material well suited to keep out air and permit an air seal around the outgoing leads, as in the case of incandescent lamps. But as the use of such devices has been extended to higher electric powers, problems have arisen which involve the difficulty of the glass-sealing of leads havi very lar e current-carrying capacity, an

also the iability to straining and breaka of the glass by temperature changes incidental to operation at hi powers. Consequently attem ts have u made to use metal instead 0 glass for the casl but these attempts have been unsuccess u]: because no practical means has been provided -to the difference in whicE is pervious to air, t

to seal the minute passages or air leaks such as those which surround the ortions of the leads which extend out tlir'u the metal wall of the casin A ractical means of such sort it is the o ject 0 this invention to provide, and the principle underlyin the invention whereby leakage is prevente is that the quantity of gas flowing thru a constricted aperture is directly proportional sides of the aperture.

The drawing illustrates one application of the invention, by way of exam Is, to one form of the above described c ass of vacuous electrical devices. In the example disclosed, one of the interior electrodes is heated, sometimes to incandescence. details of this exam le of-the class of devices will be descri ed hereinafter. The invention may be embodied, however, in any other form of such class of vacuous electrical apparatus, including the mercury vapor devices wherein a vacuum exists in the easing before the mercury vapor is liberated therein, in orderto permit the preponderance of mercury as an atmosphere.

The electrodes in the example disclosed are shown in the middle of the vacuum casing C, which may be of metal, as sheet steel enclosing vacuous space A. The corner joints of the sheets, as shown, sealed as by fusing by the oxy-acetylene torch. An outer casing K encloses a space S which may, as shown, completely surround the inner casing} C, the arrangement in any event being suc as to have the vacuous space S in communication with leaka e o ni into inner space A (as alon t e e ectr e leads, etc.) and, if desirab e, to have space S surround as much as practicable of the walls of the inner casing C itself, as will be described, dependent upon the nature of the material of such walls. The outer casing K, like inner casing C, may be of sheet steel with sealed joints. Of course, even if outer casing K were partially evacuated of air, some air will leak from its :pace S into space A in the inner casing C, rn the-minute apertures surrounding the electrode-leads and the insulators I which insulate the leads from the metal and when this casin C is of meta],

pressure on opposite The maybe more or less slow leak thru the metal itself. standing the leakage around the leads and The same is true of easing K in respect t the joints of the movable closule, but the the external atmosphere, whether or not a pumps may be operated to establish the inithird casing like K be provided for K, inst tial vacuous condition in both casings C and as K is shown as rovided for C. A tho K after the various partshave been asse'm- 70 the invention may e included in an appabled and sealed and prior to the electrical ratus which comprises such a third casing use of the apparatus.

#or even a fourth casing, etc), yet the 113- In the lack of outer casing K enclosin erred form is that shown with one enc th l k g o enings aro nd the l ads an ing casing and the cooper t ng features movable closures of casing C, it would be 7 to be described. difficult and in some cases impossible, to

h and H are respectively a e-P a maintain the desired degree of vacuum in primary 01' 10W "110mm (pump), and 3 g casing C, even if tandem umps F and H vacuum pump (as a Gas e pump), b h 9' were continuously operated to remove air erated by driver 01 motor AS shown frog 0 by connection 0; {often much air these pumps are connected in tandem by h would leak from the external atmosphere pipe P, P, this being not neceS b into casing C. chiefly by way of the aperpreferable. Pump H descrlbed as 0 h gh tures surroundin the leads and also by way vacuum (it may evacuate to a hundredth Or of the joints of c osure L, in addition to the a thousandth micron or less) is $0 relatively slower leaks thru the metal itself of the 55 to pump F, and need not always be of very casing 0, big vacuum, and need not in all cases be The operation with outer casin K and provided or used after the vacuum ha b n exhaust connection N will now be escribed, established initially in casing C. assuming the desirabilit of an extremel Similarl pump F escribed as of low high vacuum in casin C altho such a higi vacuum (9. out0.5 millimeter) issorelatively vacuum is hot, needei in all a paratus f to pump H and need not be of very 19W this class, as, for example, in t e mercury vacuum, altho its use in connectlon l h arc. Assume the-vacuum in C to be a thououter casing K is very important under any sandths of a micron. By means of low vacucireumstances. um pump F, the vacuum in enclosed s ace High vacuum pump H is in communicw S may be made and kept, at say onealf tion with the interior space A of inner caS- millimeter. Thus the difference in pressure wing C by way of a connection 0 which, as on opposite side of leakageopenings mto shown, is advantageously and readily made inner casing C is about, one-half a milliintegral with casings O and K by fusing meter, that is, about fifteen hundred times closure L, as shown, to rmit access to the invention ma es it poss effected by the oxy-acetylene torch. less than the difierence in pressure on 0 pc- Low vacuum pump F is in communication site sides of the wall of casing C w ich with outer casing K by way of a connection would exist in the absence of outer casing K. N which may consist of a pipe, as shown, As a result, the leakage into inner casing O, welded to casing K, this lower vacuum {)1 thru the a rtures around the leads and the 10 N being permissib y of smaller interna 1- joints in c osure L is reduced many fold, the ameter than the high vacuum connection 0. reduction being approximately in the ratio The above constitutes a high power inof the reduction 0 the pressure difference stallation which is permanent, save for the between the inside and outside of inner casrmissible renewal of the electrodes, espeing C. 11o cially the incandescent electrode if such a As another example. The various leaks one is used. The inner casing C is rovided in a vacuous vessel are subjected to a difierwith a movable head or closure L w ich may once of pressure which is approximately that bqopened or removed to permit access to the of the external atmosphere itself that is, interior of casing C to replace one or more 760 millimeters. Assuming that the difier- (if the electrodes, such as the incandescent ence in pressure inside and outside of casing electrode if used, or to clean the interior as G is reduced from that to one millimeter (inin the case of a mercury veizlpor device. Outer stead of one-half millimeter as above) then easing K also is ovid with a movable the reduction of leakage is 760 times. Thus, head or closure located adjacent inner, on an ,avera and by practical means, the

' i is to reduce leakage latter and to the elect es inside C. These in this type of apparatus approximately a two closures L and L ma be held in place thousand fold. by bolts E, and are suitab y gasketed to ex- 'An important advanta is that the invenclude external air to the greatest possible tion permits, in ludes an makes practicable extent. the movable closures L and L thereby r- The principal function of pumps F and mitting ready access to the electrodes w ich H'is to cooperate with outer casing K in is a practical desideratum. Metal casings maintaining a reviously produced vacnous also are ideal for tpower work, and the incondition in t e inner casing C notwithvention obviates e sole disadvantage of 181 metal that it is substantially impossible and impracticable to seal electrodes thru such casing in an air-tight manner, and thereby impossible or impracticable to maintain a vacuum even with continued operation of a hi h vacuum pump.

1 he invention, by permitting such a high reduction of leakage into inner casing C permits the use of metal casings of any desired size, with any desired number of leadinsulators I which may be of porcelain, fused quartz or any other good insulator.

After the initial vacua have been obtained in spaces A and S, high vacuum pump H need not be oierated, at any time, for a long period. t may be cut off by valves B and D, or any other desired arrangement, and in such cases it may not be necessary to use it at all save between very long intervals. In such case, the desired vacuum in space. A may be maintained for many hours, days or even Weeks, merely by the maintenance of a fair vacuum in space S by the occasional operation of forepump F.

If desired, however, both pumps may be c )erated whenever it is desired to operate either, and if the :pumps are operated simultaneously, it is best to operate them in tandem just as they would be used (with fore-pump F aiding pump H) if they were working merely on inner s ace A. If casing C be a large one or if t ere' be bad leaks into it around the leads or thru the joints of the movable closure L, it may be necessary to 0 rate both pum s continuously, particulary if an extreme y high vacuum 13 desired in space A. But with due care in construction of the casing all that will be necessary under most conditions will be an occasional operation of fore-pump F. n any case, the invention b its enormous reduction of leakage. permits the use of ver small pumps, of low cost and requiring sma. 1 driving power. The invention will also permit the use of an inner casing so extremely leaky as to prevent otherwise the obtaining or maintaining of an operative degree of vacuum.

Electrodes and leads.

trodes (some others of the class have only a two in all) and in this case one of the electrodes, 1, is an incandescent filament. At high powers, considerable heat is developed at this electrode, which makes metal coverings desirable in order to conduct the heat outside as by thermally conducting connec- V current.

tions between the two casings, of any desired construction and not forming part of this invention.

Filament 1 may be of tungsten wire. To prevent sagging it is held under slight tension by springs 2. 2. One terminal 3 of filament 1 goes thru insulators I to a terminal of the source (5 of tilamentdwating The other terminal 1 of filament 1 goes to a short metal tube 5 supported in metal casing (7 thereby closing electrical connection with the other terminal of heating source 6 via casing C, exhaust pipe 0 and outer casing K to which source 6 is connected by lead 7. The first filamentlead 3 is insulated from metal casings C, K by the insulators I which are constructed with gaskets 8 held under compression by rings 9. It is the unavoidable leaks around these insulators I, etc., and thru the joints of the movable closure L which are compensated for by the invention.

The two electrodes additional to filament 1 are the grid electrode consisting of a helix 10 of fine molybdenum wire surrounding filament 1 wound around a cage 12 surrounding filament 1; and the plate electrode 11 consisting of a short open-ended cylinder of molybdenum surrounding the helix 10.

The details of the grid electrodes are the molybdenum rods 12 forming a cage around filament 1 its ends being supported in the two disks 13 of fused quartz or mica. From the grid 10-12 a lead 14 goes thru insulator I to a connection on a coil 18.

The details of the plate or outermost electrode 11 are its support 15 consisting of a short molybdenum rod and the insulator I in which said rod is mounted, From rod 15 goes a lead 16 thru the insulator I to a source of potential 17 which may be a direct current generator of several thousand volts. Plate electrode 11 has only the one terminal, connected as just stated. The other terminal of source 17 goes to coil18.

Thus all the electrodes are separated from each other within the space A in casing C, the electrical action across the spacegbetween the electrodes being efl'ected by thermionic or gaseous conduction. as the case may be, depending on the presence of a substantially perfect vacuum or of mercury "apor, rarified air or other gas. etc.

Coil 18 is connected by lead 19 to outer metal casing K to which as described above, current sourcefi is connected by lead 7.

A condenser 20 is connected to two points 21 and 22 on coil 18.

If the apparatus be used as a transmitter in radio communication the plates of condenser 20 may be constituted respectively by' the ordinary antenna or aerial, wire or wires as one element of the condenser and by the ordinary ground connection or counterpoise of such antenna as the other plate of the condenser. Inasmuch as such antenna and ground are so well known the drawing 'may be taken as diagrammatically repreionization of the gas (as air) by the high potential of lead 16 to plate electrode 11 to such extent as might cause a leak of electricity from said high potential lead. To prevent that I provide an ionization shield Z in space S to separate lead 16 from the air or gas in said space.

This shield Z extends between the two casings C and K so as to surround all the part of lead 16 which extends thru space S. Shield Z may consists of suitable electrically insulating material which may advanta geously be'any of the well known waxes of high melting point. In uch case there may be provided a tube Y to receive the wax as it is poured in in a molten state. This tube if made of metal will serve to connect casings C and K both thermally and electrically, as is done also by that part of exhaust ipe 0 which connects the two casings; altho it will be understood that in cases of very high power and heat generation at filament 1 it may be desirable to provide additional thermal connections between casings C and K, which may be done with ease by the aid of the oxy-acetylene torch.

I am aware of the proposal in the suggested alternative form of Fig. 5 of the patentto De Forest 1201271 to provide a flask or bottle having a stopper sealed by mercury, and an evacuated envelop around the non-stoppered part of the bottle, said envelope containing any desired portion of a vacuum; but the difl'erence between that suggestion and myinvention are so clear and important that they will be readilyunderstood in view of the abovetdescription and in view of the fact that my invention permits the use of metal casings regardless of leakage which is not excessive, due to the fact that in any given case my invention permits the reduction of leakage a thousand fold.

I claim:

1'. The electrical apparatus which comprises a plurality of electrodes; a metallic casing constructed to enclose a vacuous space and within which, said electrodes operatively are permanently mounted to be separated from one another by such vacuous space, said casing being provided with a closure which is movable to permit access to said electrodes, and formed with wall openings; electrical leads extendin from said electrodes through said wal openings of said casing for connection to outside electrical apparatus with and by virtue of which said electrodes cooperate by conduction across the vacuous space between them; electrical insulation between said leads and metal casing; and an outer casing within which said inner casing is mounted and which is constructed to provide a space which substantially supporting the air-pervious metal wall of the inner casing including said wall openings and leakage openings between the inner casing and its said movable closure, said outer casing being constructed to permit maintenance of a vacuum in the space within it which will reduce the pressure differential between such space and the space between the operating electrodes within the inner casing and thereby reduce leakage to the space around said electrodes.

2. The electrical apparatus which comprises a plurality of electrodes; a metallic casing constructed to enclose a vacuous space and within which saidelectrodes operatively are permanently mounted *to be separatedfrom one another by such vacuous space; said casing being provided with a closure which is movable to permit access to said electrodes, and formed with wall openings; electrical leads extending from said electrodes through said wall openings of said casing for connection to outside electrical apparatus with and by virtue of which said electrodes co-operate by conduction across the vacuous space between them; and an outer casing within which said inner casing is mounted and which is constructed toprovide a space which substantially surrounds the air-pervious' metal walls of the inner casing, including said wall openings and leakage openings between the inner casing and the said movable closure; said outer casing being constructed to permit maintenance of a vacuum in the space within it which will reduce the pressure differential between such space and the 5 ice between the operating electrodes within the inner casing and thereby reduce leakage to the space around said electrodes.

3. The electrical ap aratus which comprises a plurality of e ectrodes; a metallic casing constructed to enclose a vacuous space and within which said electrodes operatively are permanently mounted to be separated from one another by such vacuous space, said casing being'constructed with a movable closure to permit access to said electrodes and formed with wallopenings; electrical leads extending from said electrodes through said wall openings oi said casing for connection to outside electrical apparatus with and by virtue of which said elec trodes co-operate by conduction across the vacuous s ace between them; and an outer casing Within which said inner casing is mounted and which is constructed with a closure which is movable and arranged to permit access to said movable closure of the inner casing, said outer casing bein constructed to provide a space which su stantially surrounds the air-pervious metal Walls of the inner casing, including said wall openings and leakage openings between the inner casing and its said movable closure, said outer casing being constructed to permit maintenance of a vacuum in the space within it which will reduce the pressure dif ferential between such space and the space between the operating electrodes within the inner casing and thereby reduce leakage to the space around'said electrodes.

4. The electrical ap aratus which comprises a plurality of c ectrodes; a metallic casing constructed to enclose a vacuous space and within which said electrodes 0 eratively are permanently mounted to separated from one another by such vacuous space; said casing bein constructed with a closure which is movab e to permit access to said electrodes, and formed with wall openings; electrical leads ex nding from said electrodes through said wall openings of said. casing for connection to outside electrical a paratus with and by virtue of which said e ectrodes co-operate by conduction across the vacuous space between them; and an outer casin within which said inner casing is mounted and which is constructed to provide a space which substantially surrounds the air-pervious metal wall of the inner casing includin said wall openings and leakage openings etween the inner casing and its said movable closure, said outer casing being constructed to permit maintenance of a vacuum in the space within it and connected with a vacuum pum in order to reduce the pressure difl'erentia between said space and the operating space between the electrodes within the inner casing and thereby reduce leakage to said electrodes.

5. The electrical'ap aratus which c0mprises a plurality of e ectrodes; a metallic 50 casing constructed to enclose a vacuous space and within which said electrodes operatively are permanently mounted to be separated from one another by such vacuous space, said casing bein constructed with a closure which is movable to provide access to said electrodes, and with wall openings; electrical leads extending from said electrodes through said wall openingsifor connection to outside electrical apparatus co-operating with the electrodes; and an outer casing within which said inner casing is mounte and which is constructed to rovide a space which substantiall surroun s the air-pervious metal'walls o; the inner casing including said wall openings and leakage openings which between the inner casing and its said movableclosurc, said outer casing being constructed to permit maintenance of a vacuum in the space within it which will reduce the pressure differential between such s ace and the space between the operating e ectrodes within the inner casing and thereby reduce leakage to the space around said electrodes,

6, The electrical ap aratus which comprises a plurality of e ectrodes; a metallic casing constructed to enclose a vacuous space and within which said electrodes opcratively are permanentl mounted to be separated from one anot er by such vacuous space, said casing bein constructed with a closure which is movab e to provide access to said electrodes and with wall opcnin for electrical leads extending from sai electrodes through said wall opening. for connection to outside electrical apparatus co-operating with said electrodes, and an outer casin within which said inner casing is mounte and which is constructed to dprovide a space which substantially surroun the air-pcrvious metal walls of the inner casing includng said wall openings, and leakage openmgs between said inner casing and its movab e closure, structed to permit maintenance of a vacuum in the space within it which will reduce the pressure differential between such s ace and the space between the operating e ectrodes within the inner casing and thereby reduce leakage to the space around said electrodes; and said outer casing being constructed with a movable closure adjacent to the movable closure of the inner casing.

:7. The electrical ap aratus which comprises a plurality of e ectrodes; a metallic casing constructed to enclose a vacuous space and within which said electrodes operatively are permanently mounted to be separated from one another by such vacuous space, said casin having wall openings for electrical lea s rom said electrodes for connection to outside electrical apparatus cooperating with the electrodes; an outer casmg constructed to permit the maintenance of a vacuum in the space within it and within which said inner casing is mounted and which is constructed to provide a space surrounds the wall openings in said inner casing and substantially surrounds the ainpervious metal walls of the inner casing; and-a high vacuum pum and a fore pump connected in tandem wit one another and in communication respectively with the space outside, the inner casing and with the inner operating space between the electrodes within the inner casing and provided with a common driving means for both pumps and with means"for cutting oil the vacuum pump from the fore pump and from the o pfirating space between the electrodes.

8. e electrical apparatus which comsaid outer casing being coni highthe inner metallic casing and v wall openings;

prises a plurality of electrodes; a metallic casing constructed to enclose a vacuous space and within which said electrodes operatively are permanently mounted to be separated from one another by such vacuous space, said casing havin a movable closure to permit access to said electrodes and having electrical leads extending from said electrodes through said 0 nings for connection to outside electrica apparatus co-operating with said electrodes; an outer metallic casin havin a movable closure adjacent to t e mova le closurerof constructed with'wall openin for said electrodes and to permit the maintenance of a vacuum in the space within it and within which said inner casing is ,mounted and which is'constructed to provide a space which substantially surrounds the air-pervious metal walls of the inner casing, including said wall openings of the inner casing, and leakage openings between the inner casing and Its said movable closure; and a low vacuum pump connected with the space within the outer casing to maintain a vacuum therein and reduce the pressure differential between such space and th operating space between the electrodes wit 'n the inner casing and thereb reduce leakage to said electrodes.

9. he electrical afparatus which comprises a plurality o electrodes; a casin constructed to enclose a vacuous space an within which said electrodes operatively are permanently mounted to be separated from one another by such vacuous space, said casing being constructed with' a movable closure and wal openings; for electrical leads extending from said electrodes through said wall openings for trical apparatus co-operating with said electrodes; and an outer casin within which said inner casing is mount and which is constructed to provide a space which surrounds the movable closure and wall openin s of said inner casing, said outer casin being constructed to permit maintenance 0 a vacuum in the space within it which will connection to outside elec-' reduce the pressure difierential between such s ace and the space between the operating e ectrodes within the inner casing, and thereb reduce leakage to the space around said e ectrodes.

10. The. electrical apparatus which comprises a plurality of electrodes; a casing constructed of material slightly pervious to air but to enclose a vacuous space and within which casing said electrodes operatively are permanently mounted to.be separated from one another by such vacuous space, said casing being constructed with a movable closure and wall 0 enings; electrical leads extending from sai electrodes throu h said wall openings for connectionto outsi e electrical apparatus oo-operating with the electrodes; and an outer" casing within which said inner casing is mounted and which is constructed to provide a space which surrounds the movable closure and wall openin of said inner casing and which also su stantially surrounds the walls of the inner casing itself, said outer casing being constructed to permit maintenance of a vacuum in the space within it which will reduce thepressure difierential between such s ace and the space between the operating e ectrodes within the inner casing and there- '0 reduce leakage to the space around said e ectrodes.

11. An electrical apparatus comprising a' plurality of electrodes other insides vacuous to leads extending separated from each casing and connected out thru the casing, a

second vacuous casing enclosing a space sur-- rounding leakage o nings which surround these portions of e leads which extend out thru the first vacuous casing; said leads extendin also thru said space and. out thru said enc osing casin and an ionization sl'neld in said enclo space and surrounding that ortion of one of the leads which extends t 111 said s ace. v

GR LEAF WHI'ITIER PICKARD.

, Witnesses:

Joan L. WARREN, J AMES J. MOGOVEBN.

Cei'tificdte 0: m.

upon the applicgtion bf Greenleaf Whittier It .is herehy certiii ed that in Letters Patht 9. 1,488,613, granted April 1, 1924,

, gd, of Newtdn Center, Massachusetts, .for an improvement; in Vacuous E t al A fatus an error appears in the printed specification; uirin cofrecfioh as 5511: --a.ge 4 line 77.,

claim 1, foxthe word 'supportmg ma; mrroundajand that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction thgrein that the same may cqnform to the record of'the cas in the Patent Ofi'lp. h 1 Signed and sealed this 6th day of May, A. D. 1924.

' [smLJ KARL-FENNING,

Acting Uommian'migr (affatenta. 

